International Ms. Leather and International Ms. Bootblack is the international women’s Leather event held in San Francisco. Women from all over the country and beyond are in attendance. This year saw attendees from Australia and Canada in addition to the usual USA.

I was granted VIP seating as current American Leatherboy so I was only a few rows away from the stage! The ballroom was totally packed with hundreds in the audience. All the IMsL contestants were at the top of their game and represented very well. Really, any one of them could have taken the title that night. Speeches all well prepared and the messages were clear. Fantasies were over the top, too. Ms. Texas had one of her extras on stage literally folded in half and come out from a suitcase! I heard after the contest that the back rows of the hall thought it was just a doll prop not an actual live human being.

I wasn’t able to take in too many of the workshops, but I did manage to do two volunteer shifts as security and play one of three hosts to the ABW Hospitality Suite as well as a photo shoot with Mark I Chester.

I consider this the event where I can best help the Women’s Leather Community and provide service as a volunteer. I know many women from all over attend and I’m certain they would prefer to enjoy all there is to offer over the weekend rather than be stuck covering a volunteer shift.

I hope you will consider volunteering in your local community, whether at a Leather event as I have done or if it’s a more traditional event like a walk-a-thon. Volunteers and service opportunities are numerous and can be found near and far, small and large, once a year and several times during the year.